UK GOSSIPS. Cont'd.
Ken is one of us, say London artists
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"I am enormously pleased to be supported in this way by such important artists." Kennard, who donated three prints, said the mayor gained his support by voicing strong opposition to the war in Iraq. "It is very unusual for artists to support a politician, especially after he has been in power for four years," he said. "Getting them together is quite an achievement. All the artists are based in London and I think there is a sense that Ken is one of the few politicians who understands the absolute importance of culture. These are important pieces." A similar, but larger, sale four years ago raised £110,000, and some artists questioned why Mr Livingstone needed funding this time given that he is the official Labour party candidate. "We explained that Labour only provide a small proportion of what he needs," said Kennard. Julien has donated a digital print called Love; the word formed on a knuckleduster pictured on a clenched fist. The estimate is £2,000. Caro's drawing Seascape, West Indies has an estimate of £5,000. A framed trio of Polaroid photographs, entitled Docket sez stoppit NO WAR, by Emin, has an estimate of between £2,000 and £3,000. Gormley's drawing Dome - which uses shellac, pigment and linseed oil - carries a £4,000 estimate. He said: "Ken is making London work for Londoners, which is why I am voting for him." Steadman, whose drawing Portrait of the Artist on Holiday, or The World Can Go to Hell, has an estimate of £1,000, said he admired the mayor's down-to-earth persona. "Ken's one of us," he said. "City Hall fits him like a well-tailored suit." Sale items are exhibited between 10am and 6pm next Wednesday and Thursday at 14 Wharf Road, London, N1. Bidders can register or order a catalogue on 020 7490 7754. They must register by 6.30pm on the day of sale. Hugh Muirr.GuardianNews.London
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The
historic purpose of artists has been to broaden the mind and provoke
debate among the thoughtful. But with mayoral elections just three months
away, a prestigious group of artists have banded together with more
prosaic intentions. Come June 10, they want Ken Livingstone re-elected as
mayor of London. Twenty-five artists, including Tracey Emin, Antony
Gormley, Sir Anthony Caro, Ralph Steadman, Peter Kennard, Isaac Julien,
Raquib Shaw and Mona Hatoum, have donated works to an auction to raise
funds for Mr Livingstone's political campaign. The event, Bid for Ken,
will take place in north London next week and organisers hope to increase
the mayor's spending power by up to £40,000. Mr Livingstone will auction
the first lot. He will preside over the sale of Kennard's photomontage
Peace on Earth, recently banned by the mobile phone company Orange from
inclusion in the Brightening Up London campaign. The pigment print, listed
for auction with a £900 estimate, has been retitled Peace on Earth Banned
by Orange. Mr Livingstone, whose job is threatened, in theory, by
Conservative candidate Steve Norris and Simon Hughes, the Liberal
Democrat, claims that support from the artistic community could prove
important. "The works available at this auction are a testament to the
extraordinary calibre of work being produced by the artistic community
here in the capital," he said.